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THE LEADER OF a South Korean doomsday cult has been sentenced to six years in jail for holding some 400 followers captive in Fiji and subjecting them to violence and barbaric rituals, a court statement said.
Shin Ok-ju, founder of the Grace Road Church, convinced her followers to move to Fiji in 2014, where she said they would be safe from impending disasters.
But once they arrived on the island their passports were taken away from them and many were allegedly beaten or subject to brutal rituals purportedly aimed at driving out evil spirits.
On Monday, a South Korean court found Shin guilty on multiple criminal charges including violence, child abuse and fraud.
“The victims suffered helplessly from collective beatings and experienced not only physical torture but also severe fear and considerable mental shock,” said the Anyang sub-court of the Suwon District Court.
“Heavy punishment is inevitable against illegal acts carried out in the name of religion,” it added in a statement earlier this week.
Some followers who escaped told journalists that those who attempted to leave the church were punished with severe public beatings known as “ground threshings”.
Christian-inspired cults have mushroomed in South Korea where more than a quarter of the population are Protestants or Catholics.
A cult leader who claimed to be the messiah was sentenced to 16 years in prison at an appeal court in May for raping multiple female followers.
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I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and, by gum, it put them on the map!
I’ve heard those things are awfully loud
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not in your life my Hindu friend..
It glides as softly as a cloud
Were you sent here by the devil?
That floats on high per dales and hills …
No good sir, I’m on the level
Mono.. d’oh!!
^^^^
This is why the internet is fantastic. Bravo, lads, bravo.
This same thing happened like a month ago didnt it lol
For a country not long in it’s present existence, they sure have an awful amount of money to fling about…
You’ll get that when you just invade a country and steal land and displace the indigenous people, all because God says it’s cool.
No doubt Israel will continue to show blatant disregard for laws and rights of Palestinians by robbing more land from the Palestinians to build it.
Pretty cool.
I’m just waiting for someone to tell me why this isn’t as good as it sounds and most likely won’t revolutionise travel.
they could just use buses?
100 years ago they were saying “sure can’t they just use a horse and cart”
Buses? These are for commuters, people going to work and not for the unwashed in their onesies and jammie bottoms going O’Connell Street for their daily fix.
I want to go on one.
Mono. D’oh !!
I am waiting for beam me up scotty like they do on Star Trek
It be great get up in the morning, sure i will go to Sydney for the day
Spy cars.
Sydney monorail built for the Olympics was the worst piece of rail infrastructure I’ve ever been on.
Total recall!
have your say